1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auxiliary contact assembly for mounting onto an electromagnetic switch apparatus including a casing made of a plastic material and encasing a plurality of fixed contacts which are electrically isolated against each other as well as a contact bridge carrier supporting a plurality of contact bridges.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An auxiliary contact assembly of the kind set forth above is set forth in the Swiss patent specification CH-PS 422 947. According to the disclosure the fixed contacts are interconnectable pairwise by means of contact bridges which are pivotably supported in the casing and equipped each with contact pressure springs. The use of a plurality of contact bridges is detrimental regarding the economical application of such arrangement because a too large number of individual parts is needed.
The German published patent application DE-OS 31 46 780 discloses a multi-contact arrangement for an electromagnetical switch apparatus including a movably guided contact bridge carrier supporting contact bridges which are bent at the center section and supporting the contact bridges by the agency of a spring force and in a window open at the one side. The ends of the contact bridges and the fixed contact parts are surrounded by switch chamber walls arranged rigidly relative to the casing. The contact bridge carrier is formed on a bottom plate which separates the chamber of the electromagnet from the contact chamber of the switch apparatus. The connecting screws of the switch apparatus mounted on the fixed contacts are not performed for protection against accidental contact. Mentioned multi-contact arrangement is designed as upper part of a electromagnetic switch apparatus and acts as main contact arrangement and cannot be used as auxiliary contact arrangement without any further measures.